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Nats, Fister avoid arbitration, agree to one-year deal

Doug Fister moves to the NL after going 14-9 with a 3.67 ERA and should see his value go up, along with a spike in K's and an improved ERA

By Bill Ladson
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MLB.com |

WASHINGTON -- Right-hander Doug Fister avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Nationals on Saturday. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but The Associated Press reported that it includes a base salary of $7.2 million with performance bonuses of $75,000 each for reaching 200 and 210 innings pitched.

Fister, acquired from the Tigers in a trade in December, wanted $8.5 million; the Nats countered with $5.5 million. Fister said last Saturday at NatsFest that he hoped to get a deal done soon.

"We both want to settle," Fister said. "It's one of those things where no one wants to go to arbitration. We'll see what we can do."

With Fister signed, reliever Tyler Clippard is the only player expected to take the Nationals to arbitration this month. Clippard is asking for $6.35 million, with Washington offering $4.45 million.

"I don't know, we'll see how it plays out," Clippard said last week. "The discussions are up to me, the Nationals, my agent and everything like that. Talking about it in the media doesn't do me any good."